Abstract: Systems and methods applicable, for instance, to pipette robots. A pipette robot can perform one or more tip presence check operations, one or more tip seal check operations, and/or one or more distance sensing operations, including distance sensing operations which regard determining the height of the surface of a liquid.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain encoding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain encoding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Abstract: In a multiplexed assay method carried out in solution, wherein the solution contains nucleic acid targets and, wherein several different types of oligonucleotide probes, each type having a different sequence in a region designated as a target binding domain, are used to detect the nucleic acid targets, said assay method including a method for increasing the effective concentration of the nucleic acid targets at the surface of a bead to which the oligonucleotide probes are bound, by one or more of the following steps: adjusting assay conditions so as to increase the effective concentration of the targets available for binding to the probes, by one or more of the following: (i) selecting a particular probe density on the surface of the bead; (ii) selecting a solution having an ionic strength greater than a threshold; (ii) selecting a target domain of a size less than a threshold; or (iii) selecting target domains within a specified proximity to a terminal end of the targets.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for array assembly and detection. The methods can use an incubation chamber containing a suspension of nucleic acid targets, polymerase and a set of oligonucleotide probes bound to magnetic beads in a randomly dispersed state. Each probe can have a target binding domain that is complementary to a target nucleic acid, a closing domain with a sequence that is complementary to the sequence of the target binding domain, and a joining region between the binding domain and the closing domain, which is not complementary to the target nucleic acid. Method steps can include providing the incubation chamber, placing the incubation chamber in a magnetic trap, generating a magnetic field that induces the magnetic beads to migrate towards a substrate and, once in proximity to the substrate, to interact with each other repulsively and reorganize into arrays, and imaging the array.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain encoding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and a decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain coding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Abstract: In a multiplexed assay method carried out in solution, wherein the solution contains nucleic acid targets and, wherein several different types of oligonucleotide probes, each type having a different sequence in a region designated as a target binding domain, are used to detect the nucleic acid targets, said assay method including a method for increasing the effective concentration of the nucleic acid targets at the surface of a bead to which the oligonucleotide probes are bound, by one or more of the following steps: adjusting assay conditions so as to increase the effective concentration of the targets available for binding to the probes, by one or more of the following: (i) selecting a particular probe density on the surface of the bead; (ii) selecting a solution having an ionic strength greater than a threshold; (ii) selecting a target domain of a size less than a threshold; or (iii) selecting target domains within a specified proximity to a terminal end of the targets.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and a decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain coding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Abstract: In a multiplexed assay method carried out in solution, wherein the solution contains nucleic acid targets and, wherein several different types of oligonucleotide probes, each type having a different sequence in a region designated as a target binding domain, are used to detect the nucleic acid targets, said assay method including a method for increasing the effective concentration of the nucleic acid targets at the surface of a bead to which the oligonucleotide probes are bound, by one or more of the following steps: adjusting assay conditions so as to increase the effective concentration of the targets available for binding to the probes, by one or more of the following: (i) selecting a particular probe density on the surface of the bead; (ii) selecting a solution having an ionic strength greater than a threshold; (ii) selecting a target domain of a size less than a threshold; or (iii) selecting target domains within a specified proximity to a terminal end of the targets.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and a decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain coding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and a decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain coding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Abstract: Products for and a method of capturing and storing nucleic acid from leukoreduced patient blood, where the products capture sufficient quantities for use in PCR and analysis of nucleic acid, are described. The products are made by heating a mixture of magnetic beads, silica particles, alkyl silicate (e.g., Silbond 4, Silbond Corp., Weston, Mich.) and polyethylene resin particles. The quantity of nucleic acid adsorbed by the product is controlled by the surface area of silica available for binding to nucleic acid, which in turn is controlled by: the overall volume of the product, the ratio of the volume of polyethylene resin particles to the volumes of silica particles and alkyl silicate; and the sizes of silica particles (smaller particles have a larger surface area per unit volume).

Abstract: Disclosed is number coding of pairs (“doublets”) or small sets (“multiplets”) of solid phase carriers which provides distinguishable subtypes of a given type of such carriers, where each carrier type is distinguishable on the bases of a different code. Such number coding is useful for augmenting a coding system, such as a color code, and thereby effectively multiplying the number of “colors” (distinguishable sub-types). It can be applied, for example, to determine whether a sample is homozygous or heterozygous at a number of different sites for one of two different alleles, where the same color code is applied for each of the two alleles, and the alleles with the same color code are distinguished by knowing how many carriers are associated with molecules which detect each different allele.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and a decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain coding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Abstract: Disclosed is number coding of pairs (“doublets”) or small sets (“multiplets”) of solid phase carriers which provides distinguishable subtypes of a given type of such carriers, where each carrier type is distinguishable on the basis of a different code. Such number coding is useful for augmenting a coding system, such as a color code, and thereby effectively multiplying the number of “colors” (distinguishable sub-types). It can be applied, for example, to determine whether a sample is homozygous or heterozygous at a number of different sites for one of two different alleles, where the same color code is applied for each of the two alleles, and the alleles with the same color code are distinguished by knowing how many carriers are associated with molecules which detect each different allele.

Abstract: In a multiplexed assay method carried out in solution, wherein the solution contains nucleic acid targets and, wherein several different types of oligonucleotide probes, each type having a different sequence in a region designated as a target binding domain, are used to detect the nucleic acid targets, said assay method including a method for increasing the effective concentration of the nucleic acid targets at the surface of a bead to which the oligonucleotide probes are bound, by one or more of the following steps: adjusting assay conditions so as to increase the effective concentration of the targets available for binding to the probes, by one or more of the following: (i) selecting a particular probe density on the surface of the bead; (ii) selecting a solution having an ionic strength greater than a threshold; (ii) selecting a target domain of a size less than a threshold; or (iii) selecting target domains within a specified proximity to a terminal end of the targets.

Abstract: Controlling humidity at the surface of a solution containing analyte and ligand, e.g., for an assay, is disclosed, wherein the control of the humidity induces evaporative stirring in the solution to bring analyte and ligand into contact more quickly than when using diffusion. An oven which blows air in a controlled stream across slides, with wells containing reagent and analyte, is disclosed. Also disclosed is optical tape which can replace a conventional glass coverslip used for viewing of the reaction results.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and a decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain coding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Abstract: In a multiplexed assay method carried out in solution, wherein the solution contains nucleic acid targets and, wherein several different types of oligonucleotide probes, each type having a different sequence in a region designated as a target binding domain, are used to detect the nucleic acid targets, said assay method including a method for increasing the effective concentration of the nucleic acid targets at the surface of a bead to which the oligonucleotide probes are bound, by one or more of the following steps: adjusting assay conditions so as to increase the effective concentration of the targets available for binding to the probes, by one or more of the following: (i) selecting a particular probe density on the surface of the bead; (ii) selecting a solution having an ionic strength greater than a threshold; (ii) selecting a target domain of a size less than a threshold; or (iii) selecting target domains within a specified proximity to a terminal end of the targets.